Thunderstorm
by misspatchesmom
Summary: The heatwave continues; established early TIVA. Tony and Ziva get caught in a sudden thunderstorm while outdoors. Part of the the "You Complete Me" universe.


Thunderstorm

_Early TIVA; a muggy summer night and a sudden thunderstorm…_

Tony huffed as he wiped the sweat off his face and away from his eyes. "Who thought this would be a good idea to walk?" he looked over at Ziva, gently tugging on their joined hands to get her attention. His mesh tank top was already clinging to his back from the humidity. Even the dri-wick fabric of his gym shorts felt as though he could wring water from it.

"It is two blocks, Tony. You are the one who said that you needed to get outside of the apartment!" Ziva reminded him. Her sports bra back was already damp with sweat and the lightweight tank top she had slipped over the bra was clinging to her bare skin on her abdomen and lower back.

"Yeah, but we could have used the car, especially since this is day eleven of this freaking heat wave…" he trailed off as the couple had to move to single file to avoid a woman with a baby carriage.

Ziva shrugged, "And you know as well as me that we would have never found a parking spot near Jade Dragon. You would have been cursing and fuming… Besides, we ALWAYS walk to get Chinese; it is so much easier than driving."

"Yeah, yeah," he groused. "I'll just melt into a puddle of goo on the sidewalk." He opened the door of their favorite Chinese take-out place and held it for her. The cool air inside was wonderfully inviting. Surprisingly, no customers were inside; they could order to eat-in at one of the small tables at the restaurant.

"Tony! Ziva!" the owner and his wife greeted the pair. "The usual?"

Tony shook his head, "Not tonight; it's too hot for the Mongolian beef. I'll have the beef fried rice instead. For here."

"And I will have the chicken fried rice," Ziva added. "Add two cups of water to our order please."

Tony paid for the food and they chose seats at one of the tables to wait for their order. Ziva filled the beverage cups with ice and water as he picked up napkins, straws, chopsticks, and packets of soy sauce. The owner's wife brought out their plates of food in about five minutes.

The couple ate in silence, speaking instead with their eyes. One would grin and then swipe a piece of food off the other's plate, or feed a piece to the other. Both had become quite skilled with the chopsticks.

As they finished the meal, Tony tried to psych himself up for going outside again. The heat and humidity made an oppressive combination; going out from air-conditioned air to the outside air was equivalent to walking into a wall of sauna-like air. He was not looking forward to the walk back to the apartment.

Ziva watched as her boyfriend put the plates and cups in the trash receptacle. BOY-friend; she thought she'd never call Tony that in relation to herself, but here they were in the third month of a secret relationship. Both of them eagerly anticipated the non-work hours when they could enjoy each other's company, hold hands, touch the other, cuddle, and engage in adult pleasures. They had established a 'hands-off' rule for work, and had been pretty good about sticking to it, even though both would admit it was not easy.

"Are you ready?" he asked her as he moved towards the door. She nodded and he held the door for her and motioned for her to exit first.

"Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Chen," she called out to the owners.

The humidity had increased while they were eating dinner. Tony commented that the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Ziva gave him a confused look and he laughed.

"It's a saying; it means that the air is filled with the moisture from the humidity to the point that it is pressing on everything," he explained.

"_Lakhut_ gevohah," she nodded as the couple walked hand in hand to the first intersection. As they waited for the light to change so that they could cross, a flash of lightning lit the night sky. Thunder rumbled as they walked swiftly across.

Ziva was about to say something when the rain started; first in big, random drops that fell and then a downpour. Without any place to shelter from the storm, they continued walking towards Ziva's building, getting soaked in the process. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as the storm moved overhead.

She looked over at Tony, with rain dripping from his face, clothes soaking wet, and hair plastered to his head. He grinned at her and she had a sudden urge to kiss him right there in the rain. She tugged on his hand and pulled him to her.

Tony noticed Ziva looking at him; her hair was stuck to her face and shoulders and water was dripping off her face. Despite looking like a drowned rat, she really did look cute soaked to the skin. Her clothes clung to show off her curves that he couldn't get enough of. He felt her tug his hand and had an urge to kiss her.

Their lips crashed together as the rain continued to pelt their soaked bodies. An intense flash of lightning and a loud crash of thunder had them breaking apart. They ran to the entrance of Ziva's building, hands locked together.

Inside the lobby, the cold air hit their rain-soaked bodies with a chill. Tony noticed the goose bumps on Ziva's arms as she unlocked the apartment door. Once inside, he drew her to him, wrapping his arms around her and locked his lips on hers.

When they broke for air, he smiled at her, "I know how to warm you up, Miss David, if you'll let me…"

"Does it involve getting out of these wet clothes?" she teased as he led her in the direction of the bedroom.

His eyes twinkled with mischief, "Of course, and lots of body contact…"


End file.
